been at the
diamond-fields," continued he, thinking that he might thereby flatter
his friend.

"No, not everybody. I suppose a young woman is the same there as
here, if she have the same natural gifts. Miss Forrester would be
pretty anywhere."

"That's a matter of course. Any fellow can see that with half an eye.
Absolutely beautiful, I should say, rather than pretty."

"Just so. It's only a variation in terms, you know."

"But then her manner, her music, her language, her wit, and the
colour of her hair! When I remember it all, I think I'm the luckiest
fellow in the world. I shall be a deal happier with her than with
Augusta Hall. Don't you think so? Augusta was the one intended for
me; but, bless you, I couldn't look at her after I had seen Kattie
Forrester. I don't think you've given me your true unbiassed opinion
yet."

"Indeed I have," said John Gordon.

"Well; I should be more free-spoken than that, if you were to ask
me about Mary Lawrie. But then, of course, Mary Lawrie is not your
engaged one. It does make a difference. If it does turn out that she
marries Mr Whittlestaff, I shan't think much of her, I can tell you
that. As it is, as far as looks are concerned, you can't compare her
to my Kattie."

"Comparisons are odious," said Gordon.

"Well, yes; when you are sure to get the worst of them. You wouldn't
think comparisons odious if you were going to marry Kattie, and it
was my lot to have Mary Lawrie. Well, yes; I don't mind going to bed
now, as you have owned so much as that."

"Of all the fools," said Gordon to himself, as he went to his own
chamber,--"of all the fools who were ever turned out in the world to
earn their own bread, he is the most utterly foolish. Yet he will
earn his bread, and will come to no especial grief in the work. If
he were to go out to Kimberley, no one would pay him a guinea a-week.
But he will perform the high work of a clergyman of the Church of
England indifferently well."

On the next morning a messenger was sent over to Croker's Hall, and
came back after due lapse of time with an answer to the effect that
Mr Whittlestaff and Miss Lawrie would have pleasure in dining that
day at Little Alresford Park. "That's right," said Mr Blake to the
lady of his love. "We shall now, perhaps, be able to put the thing
into a proper groove. I'm always very lucky in managing such matters.
Not that I think that Gordon cares very much about the young lady,
judging from what he says